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The Double Star magnetic field investigation: instrument design, performance and highlights of the first year's observations
Balogh, A.; Zhang, T. L.; Glassmeier, K. -H. +19 more
One of the primary objectives of the Double Star mission is the accurate measurement of the magnetic field vector along the orbits of the two spacecraft. The magnetic field is an essential parameter for the understanding of space plasma processes and is also required for the effective interpretation of data from the other instruments on the spacec…
The Double Star mission
Escoubet, C. P.; Liu, Z. X.; Shen, C. +4 more
The Double Star Programme (DSP) was first proposed by China in March, 1997 at the Fragrant Hill Workshop on Space Science, Beijing, organized by the Chinese Academy of Science. It is the first mission in collaboration between China and ESA. The mission is made of two spacecraft to investigate the magnetospheric global processes and their response …
The HIA instrument on board the Tan Ce 1 Double Star near-equatorial spacecraft and its first results
Lundin, R.; Dandouras, I.; Klecker, B. +16 more
On 29 December 2003, the Chinese spacecraft Tan Ce 1 (TC-1), the first component of the Double Star mission, was successfully launched within a low-latitude eccentric orbit. In the framework of the scientific cooperation between the Academy of Sciences of China and ESA, several European instruments, identical to those developed for the Cluster spa…
Double Star/Cluster observation of neutral sheet oscillations on 5 August 2004
Balogh, A.; Zhang, T. L.; Nakamura, R. +8 more
Previous Cluster observations have shown that the flapping motions of the Earth's magnetotail are of internal origin and that kink-like waves are emitted from the central part of the tail and propagate toward the tail flanks. The newly launched Double Star Program (DSP) TC-1 satellite allows us to investigate neutral sheet at 10-13 Re in the tail.…
First results of low frequency electromagnetic wave detector of TC-2/Double Star program
Zhou, L.; Santolík, O.; Parrot, M. +17 more
LFEW is a low frequency electromagnetic wave detector mounted on TC-2, which can measure the magnetic fluctuation of low frequency electromagnetic waves. The frequency range is 8 Hz to 10 kHz. LFEW comprises a boom-mounted, three-axis search coil magnetometer, a preamplifier and an electronics box that houses a Digital Spectrum Analyzer. LFEW was …
Coordinated Cluster/Double Star observations of dayside reconnection signatures
Escoubet, C. P.; Pitout, F.; Zong, Q. -G. +18 more
The recent launch of the equatorial spacecraft of the Double Star mission, TC-1, has provided an unprecedented opportunity to monitor the southern hemisphere dayside magnetopause boundary layer in conjunction with northern hemisphere observations by the quartet of Cluster spacecraft. We present first results of one such situation where, on 6 April…
Radial variation of whistler-mode chorus: first results from the STAFF/DWP instrument on board the Double Star TC-1 spacecraft
Santolík, O.; Yearby, K. H.; Cornilleau-Wehrlin, N. +2 more
We use the first measurements of the STAFF/DWP instrument on the Double Star TC-1 spacecraft to investigate whistler-mode chorus. We present initial results of a systematic study on radial variation of dawn chorus. The chorus events show an increased intensity at L parameter above 6. This is important for the possible explanation of intensificatio…
Double Star TC-1 observations of component reconnection at the dayside magnetopause: a preliminary study
Zhang, T. L.; Dandouras, I.; Zhang, H. +13 more
In spring 2004 Double Star TC-1 measured a number of reconnection signatures at the dayside low-latitude magnetopause (MP) when there was a notable By component in the magnetosheath. In a number of events we can show that reconnection was operating nearby TC-1 in the subsolar MP region. In this paper we describe three representative eve…
The Double Star Plasma Electron and Current Experiment
Kataria, D. O.; Wilson, R. J.; Fazakerley, A. N. +16 more
The Double Star Project is a collaboration between Chinese and European space agencies, in which two Chinese magnetospheric research spacecraft, carrying Chinese and European instruments, have been launched into equatorial (on 29 December 2003) and polar (on 25 July 2004) orbits designed to enable complementary studies with the Cluster spacecraft.…
Plasma flow channels with ULF waves observed by Cluster and Double Star
Balogh, A.; Zhang, T. L.; Glassmeier, K. -H. +9 more
On 14 August 2004 a large-scale magnetic structure was observed by Double Star TC-1 in the southern lobe and by Cluster in the northern lobe of the magnetotail. The structure has the signature of a (localized) dipolarization, decreasing Bx accompanied by an increasing Bz and a strong earthward flow. The propagation direction …